Platform wag-on



(N0 Modl.) V 4 SheetS-Sheet -1.

' P. HUFP.

PLATFORM WAGON.

No. 287,541. Patented 001;. so 1883.

V INVENTO R v BY 'ro 8 WITNESSES 4 Sheets-sheet 2*.

(No Modem v VP. HUPF.

- PLATFORM WAGON. No. 287,541. 1 Patented 001:. 30, 1883.

l C! D WITNESSES: INVENTOR WUP-W;

N. PETERS. Pbolo-Lllhagnphnr. Wishingtnn. 0.6.

4 Sheets-Sheet 3.

(No Model.)

P. HUPP.

PLATFORM WAGON.

fi a... i f a f g E f L In e T ONT A O: J Q; S 0! INYENTOR WITNESSES N. PETERS. PholuLilhcgl-aglwr. WaMnglun. D c.

(No Model.) 4 SheetS-Shet 4.

P. HUPF. 4 PLATFORM WAGON.

No. 287,541. Patented Oct. 30, 1883.

. S M I S 2 E z UM UM WITNESSES: INVENTOR BY% 5 W ATTOR FY51 l UNITED -STATES PATENT OFFICE.

PETER HUFF, on NEW YORK, N. Y.

. JPLATFORM-WAGON,

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 287,541, dated. October so, 1883,

Applicationfiled July 5, 1883. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern: v

Be itknown that I, PETER HUFF,-of the city, county, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful -Improvements in Platform-Wagons, of which the following is a specification. I

This invention has reference to certain improvements in the construction of platformwagons, whereby the load can be easily unloaded either at the end or side of the Wagon; and the invention consists of a wagon the platform of which is hinged to the front bolster,

and raisedor lowered at the rear part by up-- right screw-posts, screw-nuts, and bevel-gears.

On the platform is supported a wagon-body, which may be made of one or more sections that are supported on roller-carriages, which are adapted to turn on their vertical axes into a position at right angles or parallel to the longitudinal axis of the platform, so that the.

sections of the wagon-body may be moved over the end of the platform or over the sides.

The platform itself consists of a skeleton frame with retaining side flanges and raised circular guides at the intersection of the longitudinal and transverse rails of the platform. The roller-carriages of the body-sections turn around the raised guides when they are turned by means of lever-arms and connecting-rods applied to the upright shafts of the roller-carriages. The body-sections are secured by suitablelocking devices to the platform and to each other, which will more fully appear hereinafter, and finally be pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 represents a side elevation of my improved platform-wagon. Fig. 2 are details of the device for holding the body on the platform. Figs. 3 and 4. are end elevations of the wagon; Fig. 5, a bottom view of the wagon-body; Fig.

tions, which are supported on roller-carriages B, that-are applied .by verticalyokes b to shown. V

is rigidly applied a laterally-extending lever arm, 11. This lever-arm is pivoted to a slide-' grooved pivots b, strapped to the bottom of the body-sections A, as shown in Fig. 7. The rollercarriages B may thereby be turned around the pivot band set parallel to or at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the supportingplatform 0, as required. Each roller-carriage B is constructed of two] rollers that are applied at proper distance from each other. To the axle b is applied the upright yoke b, by which the connection with the fixed pivot b is made, the flange or head of which retains the roller-carriage B on the wagon-body. In place of the construction shown, any other construction by which the roller-carriage may be turned on its vertical axis may be used, as I do not confine myself to the construction To the yoke b of each roller-carriage rod, d, that is guided on straps d at the bottom of the body-sections A A,'the ends of the slide-rods d being connected by. chains or ropes (1 that are passed over sprocket-wheels or pulleys d, as shown clearly in Fig. 5. One of the lever-arms d may be extended laterally, so as to project beyond the wagon-body,

so. that all the roller-carriages may be turned and set into proper position by moving the lever-arm d in one or the opposite direction.

The platform 0 is constructed, in the nature of a skeleton platform, of two pairs of longitudinal rails, e e, and two pairs of transverse rails, e e, for each section A. The longitudinal and transverse rails of the" skeleton platform 0 are securely riveted together, and the outer edges of each pair of rails provided with bentup flanges 6, along which the roller-carriages are guided, and by which the body-sections A A are prevented from moving off the platform. At the points of intersection of the longitudinal and transverse rails raised circular portions 6 are located, the diameter of which is equal to the distance between the rollers of the roller-carriages B. The raised portions 6 serve for guiding the roller-carriages intheir axial motion from a position at'right angles to or parallel to the longitudinal axis of the platform, and also for steady ing the body-sections on the skeleton platform. v i

The sections AA of the wagon-body are locked to each other and to the platform 0 by ICC means of spring-hooks D, which engage recessed plates or eyes of the wagon-body. By means of a transverse crank-shaft having eccentrics, the spring-hooks can be released from the eyes of the wagon-body when the latter are to be moved off the platform. The sections A A of the wagon-body are further secured to the platform D by hooks f, which are keyed to a transverse rod, f, extending across the platform 0, and turning in bearings of the same. The hooks f are made to engage eyes or staples f of the wagon-body by means of a laterally-movable lever, f, that is pivoted to the lower part of the hook f, back of the rod f, and which is retained on a fixed laterallyextending rest, f*, of the platform C. By releasing the lever f 3 from the rest f the hooks f on the rod f can be readily disengaged from the eycsf The body-sections A A can then be readily moved on the platform, the lockinghooks preventing the jumping of the body-sections from the platform.

The platform O is hinged at its front part to a bolster of the fifth-wheel O, and applied at the rear part, by means of side staples, g, rollers g, and links 9 to the ends of longitu dinal leaf-springs E, which leaf-springs are centrally pivoted to vertically-adjustable screwbolts E, that are raised or lowered by screwnuts E operated by a bevel-wheel transmission. (Shown in Figs. 1 and 4.) The shafts of said bevel-gear wheels turn in bearings of the hind axle and of the reach E, and are set in motion by a crankshaft in front of the hind wheels, as shown in Fig. 1. The reach E extends from the hind axle to both sides of the front bolster, and is then bent downward to the front axle and connected by atransverse piece to the center pivot of the front axle, so that the front wheels can turn independently of the reach. The middle part of the reach is inclined, so that when the hind part of the platform 0 is lowered it will assume the inclination of the middle part of the reach 13. By thus lowering the rear part of the platform the body-sections A A can be readily transferred from the platform toany place where the load is to be deposited, for which purpose auxiliary rails are to be used, on which the body-sections are rolled to the point of discharge. The fifth-wheel O is also supported on strong elliptic leaf-springs, the hounds of the wagon-shaft being applied, in the usual manner, to the fifth-wheel of the wagon. Vhen the load is to be discharged, the roller-carriages of the body-sections are first, by the mechanism described, set in the direction in which the same are to be moved. The locking devices of the body-sections are then released, so that the sections are free to be moved 011 the platform. Vhen the sections A are to be moved over the rear end of the platform in a longitudinal direction, the rear part of the platform is lowered to the required extent, whereby the body-sections A can be moved readily over the rails of the platform and over the auxiliary rails to the place of discharge, as before described. The body-sections A can also be removed laterally from the platform for which purpose the transverse rails are not provided with end flanges. The roller-carriages are turned into aposition parallel to the longitudinal axis of the platform and the locking devices of the body-sections A released. The forward body-sect-ion is then removed laterally, and the rear section moved forward, so as to take the place formerly occupied by the front section where its rollercarriages are turned, after which it is also moved laterally over the platform, and then to the place of unloading.

The principle described may also be applied to the bodies of railway freight-cars, in which case either one or more sections may be used, which are also supported on axiallyturning roller-carriages B B. The wagonbody A is either returned on the car-platform by means of hinged top and bottom sideboards h h and suitable locking devices, h, as shown in Fig. 8; or the sides of the car may be provided with sliding doors, which leave sufficient space to permit the removal of the body-sections A A, as shown in Fig. 9. r

body, made of one or more sections and supported on axially-turning roller-carriages, so as to be adapted to be moved in longitudinal or lateral direction, substantially as set forth.

2. In a platform wagon or car, the combination of a supporting-platform constructed of pairs of longitudinal and transverse rails, a wagon-body composed of one or more sections supported on axially-turning roller-carriages,

and means whereby the said roller-carriages are set into a position transversely to or parallel to the longitudinal axis of the platform, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination of a supporting-platform, made of pairs of intersecting longitudinal and transverse rails, a wagon-body composed of one or more sections supported on axially-turning roller-carriages, means whereby the roller-earriages are set into a position transversely to or parallel to the axis of the platform, and means whereby the sections of p the wagon-body are locked to each other and to the platform, substantially as set forth.

4. The combination of a supporting-platform, C, constructed of pairs of longitudinal and transverse rails e e and c e, the outer rails of which have flanges 6, while the points of intersection of the pairs of rails are provided with raised guide-disks e with one or more sections, A A, ofthe wagon-body supported on axially-turning roller-carriages, and provided with means for turning the roller carriages in a position transverse to or parallel with the longitudinal axis of the platform, substantially as described. I v

5. I11 a platform-wagon, askeleton platform constructed of intersecting longitudinal and transverse guide-rails, the outer rail of each pair being flanged, and the points of intersection of the longitudinal and transverse rails provided with raised guide-disks, arranged substantially as described.

6. In a platform-wagon the combination of l a platform hinged to a bolster of the front axle,

and provided with mechanism for raising or lowering the rear end, a wa-gon-bodycomposed of one ormore sections,which are supported my invention I have signed my name in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

' PETER HUFF.

\Vitnesses:

PAUL GOEPEL, SIDNEY MANN. 

